Front wheel powered skate board with accessory engagable frame and suspension system

ABSTRACT

A skateboard has a platform supported on a tubular frame. The frame is engaged with a pair of wheel trucks, one with a at least one wheel, the other with a pair of wheels. An electrical motor, and a power source are mounted below the platform to the frame. The at least one wheel is positioned proximate a forward end of the platform, and the pair of wheels are positioned proximate a rearward end of the platform. The motor engages the at least one wheel and is able to be tuned on and off by a remote switch accessible to a hand or foot of the rider. A front and rear receivers enable attachment of a wide range of accessories including a seat, handle bar and lights.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is an improvement to the invention described inProvisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/359,489 filed on Feb. 25,2002 and which is now expired.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

Applicant(s) hereby incorporate herein by reference, any and all U.S.patents, U.S. patent applications, and other documents and printedmatter cited or referred to in this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to skate boards and similar sport andutility conveyance devices, and more particularly to such a devicehaving motor power and the ability to receive a wide range ofaccessories.

2. Description of Related Art

The following art defines the present state of this field:

Brickson, U.S. Des. 150,401 describes a coaster car design.

Cohen, U.S. Des. 330,394 describes a motorized skateboard design.

Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,566 describes a skateboard including abrake assembly for slowing and stopping the vehicle. A pivotal member onthe board is provided with a depending rubber stop for engagement withthe ground surface when the member is tilted by the heel of the shoe ofthe skater.

Spitzke, U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,165 describes a skid accessory forskateboards adapted to be mounted at the end of the board between thewheel supporting trucks and the end of the board to protect the boardfrom engagement with the ground and to act as a braking device byfrictional engagement with the ground.

Martin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,621 describes an electrically driven brakecontrolled skateboard employing an electric motor and associated batterymounted on the bottom of its foot supporting board employs a pulleyarrangement whereby the initial slipping of its belt acts as a clutchfor transferring rotational power from the motor to a U-grooved drivewheel of the skateboard. The U-groove is low cut so that the drive beltis partially exposed to the road surface. A dual-purpose tether mountedbrake control and on/off switch is used to control the braking of theskateboard and the energizing of the drive motor.

Hsu, U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,026 describes a remote controlled electricskate-board having a motor to drive two sets of sun and planet gearunits connected with a pair of rollers rotated to move the skate-boardby a remote controller transmitting a signal to an electronic circuitcarried on the board to start or to stop the motor so that theskate-board may be moved or stopped by electric power in addition tohuman force.

Kaufman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,870 describes a motorized skateboardincluding a tubular frame having a first and second axle mounted in aparallel relationship about opposed ends of the frame, with a drivemotor directed through a drive belt to a rear driven sprocket. Anoptional configuration of the invention utilizes the rear drivensprocket mounted to a constant velocity joint to permit rear steerage ofthe skateboard. The skateboard is arranged with pivoted front arms asrequired to provide for shock-absorbing suspension to the skateboardstructure. The utilization of an independent front suspension iscooperative with a tapered rear roller support wheel structure to permitsteerage of the organization. The independent front suspension includesfrontal steering controlled by the front boot including a tie rod andspindle configuration.

Ondrish, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,754 describes a multi-terrain ridingboard including an elongate deck mounted on a chassis, a front axleassembly pivotally coupled with the chassis and including a pair ofhorizontal spindles rotatable about respective vertical axes, a pair ofwheels mounted for rotation about the spindles, a pair of tie rodsconnected between the chassis and the spindles to transfer tiltingmovement of the chassis into rotation of the spindles about the verticalaxes, a rear axle coupled with the chassis, and a rear wheel rotatablymounted on the rear axle. In one embodiment, the rear axle is fixedlyconnected to the chassis so that the rear wheel cambers in response toangulation of the deck; however, the rear axle can be pivotally coupledwith the chassis and provide with a pair of spindles and tie rods tosteer like the front axle assembly if desired. Preferably, horizontaltension springs are connected between the spindles and a bottom portionof the chassis to help stabilize the deck of the riding board. An engineor motor can be mounted within the chassis between the front and rearaxle assemblies, in which case the deck is preferably hingedly connectedwith the chassis to permit pivotal movement of the deck from a loweredposition resting on the chassis to an elevated position allowing accessto the engine.

Chen, U.S. 2003/0151214 describes a skateboard comprising a board, twowheel units attached to an underside of the board, and a braking memberattached to the underside of the board. The braking member includes atleast one metallic braking block that is in contact with ground duringbraking. The metallic braking block sparks during braking to provide anamusement effect.

Our prior art search with abstracts described above teaches: a designfor a coaster board having three wheels with a at least one wheel in afrontal position, a design for a motorized skateboard with two wheels, anon-motorized skateboard with three wheels, with one wheel in front, askateboard skid accessory, an electric motor powered skateboard withintegral brakes, a remote controlled electric skate board, a motorizedskateboard apparatus, a three wheeled multi-terrain riding board, and abraking member for a skateboard, but does not teach a three wheeledskateboard with the at least one forward wheel powered, a board withforward and rearward receivers for accessory attachments, and apush-pull driving arrangement for a skateboard. The present inventionfulfills these needs and provides further related advantages asdescribed in the following summary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and usewhich give rise to the objectives described below.

A skateboard has a platform supported on a tubular frame. The frame isengaged with a pair of wheel trucks, one with a at least one wheel, theother with a pair of wheels. An electrical motor, and a power source aremounted below the platform to the frame. The at least one wheel ispositioned proximate a forward end of the platform, and the pair ofwheels are positioned proximate a rearward end of the platform. Themotor engages the at least one wheel and is able to be tuned on and offby a remote switch accessible to a hand or foot of the rider. A frontand rear receivers enable attachment of a wide range of accessoriesincluding a seat, handle bar and lights.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatusand method of use of such apparatus that yields advantages not taught bythe prior art.

Another objective is to provide such an invention capable of beingdriven by a front wheel drive that may be lifted from the riding surfacewhen necessary or when desired.

A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of receivinga wide range of accessories in a snap-in arrangement for convenience.

A still further objective is to provide such an invention capable ofbeing driven by front and rear wheels at the same time.

A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of sharp andeffective turning.

A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of havingless wheel surface in contact with the ground surface so as to provideless friction and resistance.

A further objective is to provide a skate board wherein the rider'sweight is concentrated in the rear of a front wheel driven machine sothat there is less strain on the drive system so that a less powerfulmotor may be applied and smaller batteries may be used with longerbattery life between charges.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following more detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way ofexample, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In suchdrawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1 showing a front wheel suspension arrangementthereof;

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 1 showing a dual drive system thereof;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing details of a framethereof;

FIGS. 5-7 are side elevational views thereof showing application ofsnap-in accessories of the invention;

FIGS. 8-10 are perspective views thereof showing application of furtheraccessories of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The above described drawing figures illustrate the invention in at leastone of its preferred embodiments, which is further defined in detail inthe following description. Those having ordinary skill in the art may beable to make alterations and modifications in the present inventionwithout departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, it must beunderstood that the illustrated embodiments have been set forth only forthe purposes of example and that they should not be taken as limitingthe invention as defined in the following.

As shown in the figures, see FIG. 1 for instance, the present inventionis an improved skateboard apparatus comprising a platform 10 having aforward end 12, an opposing rearward end 14, a top surface 16 and anundersurface 18. The platform 10, preferably of wood or plasticconstruction, is engaged with a tubular metal frame 20 shown in FIG. 4,and the frame 20 is further engaged with a pair of wheel trucks 30, 40,a means for driving 50 and an electrical power source 55, as best seenin FIG. 4. One of the wheel trucks 30 mounts a at least one wheel 32positioned proximate the forward end 12 of the platform 10 while theother of the wheel trucks 40 mounts a pair of wheels 42, 44 positionedproximate the rearward end 14 of the platform 12. The means for driving50, preferably an electric motor, is engaged mechanically; by a drivebelt 52 or direct meshing gears, or other drive train means, with the atleast one wheel 32 and is electrically engaged by cable 62 with theelectrical power source 55 for driving the at least one wheel 32 inmoving the apparatus on a riding surface 5 (FIG. 5). Thus, with a rider(not shown) standing on the top surface 16 of the platform 10, the atleast one wheel 32 can be driven to move the platform 10 and rider overthe riding surface. The apparatus is preferably a front wheel drivenskate board.

Preferably, as best shown in FIG. 4, a means for actuating 60 ispositioned proximate the top surface 16 and is electricallyinterconnected, by the electrical cable 62, with either the drivingmeans 50 or the power source 55, enabling power control of the drivingmeans 50 as actuated by a foot of the rider. Such an actuating means 60,for instance, is preferably an electrical toggle switch with eachactuation reversing the switching sense. Alternately, the electricalcable 62 may be of such length as to be actuated by a hand of the rideras shown in FIGS. 8-10.

Preferably, the forward 22 and rearward 24 ends of the tubular frame 20each provides a receiving means 26 for receiving an extension piece thatis removeably engagable with either of the receiving means 26. Such areceiving means 26 is preferably a tubular aperture with a snap-inlocking feature of any type well known to those of skill in the art, orit may be a tube in tube arrangement with set screw 28, as shown in FIG.8. The extension piece may be any one of several utility accessory partsincluding a fender brake 70 which is positioned forward of the platform10 and proximal to the at least one wheel 32 as shown in FIG. 6, or anupwardly extending T-bar 71 positioned forward of the platform 10 andextending upwardly so as to provide a gripping element for the rider tograsp, as shown in FIG. 7, a hand brake actuator 82 (FIG. 8) with cableactuator 82′ preferably enabling dynamic braking by reversing the senseof the field in the motor 50, or alternately by an bicycle-type caliperbrake (not shown) preferably engaging wheel 32, or a wheely bar 73positioned rearward of the platform 10, as shown in FIG. 6, orheadlights 75, (FIG. 5), tail-lights or reflectors 76 (FIG. 8).Electrical power is supplied to these lights 75, 76 from the powersource 55 by conductors (not shown) mounted within the frame 20 as wouldbe easily enabled by one of skill in the art, so that when the lights75, 76 are engaged with the frame 20 (FIGS. 5, 8), electricalinterconnections are made as well.

Preferably, the power source 55, as shown in FIG. 5, comprises a heavyduty dry cell type battery 59, which may be made up of a plurality ofcells mounted in tubes as is well known in the art, and furthercomprises a battery charging circuit 57, well known in the art, enabledfor charging the battery 59, preferably at 12 volts DC, from an ACutility outlet at either 115 volts, 60 Hz, or 220 volts at 50 Hz.

Preferably, a manual brake 77 (FIG. 9) is positioned proximate the topsurface 16 at the forward end 12 of the platform 10 and is mechanicallyengagable with the at least one wheel 32 for frictional braking asactuated by a foot of the rider. Spring 77′ is positioned to maintainthe brake 77 in an “up” position until the rider presses downwardly onthe brake 77 which forces a brake pad 77″ into contact with the wheel32. An alternate manual brake 78 is positioned proximate the top surfaceat the rearward end of the platform and mechanically engagable with oneor both of the rear wheels 42, 44 enabling frictional braking asactuated by a foot of the rider. A short leaf spring 78′ is engaged formaintaining a space between a brake pad 78″ and the wheels 42, 44 (FIG.7).

As shown in FIG. 8, a seat attachment 90 is mountable onto the frame 20and extends upwardly therefrom. Accommodation is made in the platform 10for mounting bolts 92. Likewise, a handle bar 80, similar to T-bar 71 ispreferably mounted to frame 20 in the same manner. See FIG. 8.

Preferably, one or both wheel trucks 30, 40 provides a shock mounting100 comprising at least one means for shock absorbing as shown in FIG.2. Such shock mounting may comprise a at least one spring or equivalentresilient material, or two or more such shock absorbing elementspositioned at the center of the truck, as shown in FIG. 2, or dualsprings, etc. mounted laterally to wheel 32, in any manner that is wellknown in the art. To achieve maximum effectiveness, the trucks 30, 40are preferably mounted as swing arms 110 (swing arm mounting means) withone end secured pivotally by a hinge member 110′ while the free end isclear to move against the shock mounting 100, as shown in FIG. 2.

Preferably, the means for driving 50 is further engaged mechanicallywith the pair of wheels 42, 44, the driving means comprising individualmotors engaged individually with the at least one wheel 32 and with thepair of wheels 42, 44 for driving all of the wheels 32, 42, 44 in movingthe apparatus along the riding surface 5 in a push-pull arrangement.Alternately, a at least one motor is preferably engaged with both wheel32 and at least one of the wheels 42, 44 to achieve the same objective.

The use of a front wheel drive in the present invention is criticallysuperior to rear wheel drive because of less resistance, less frictionbetween the front wheel and the rider surface and results in less strainon the drive system including less drain on the battery.

The enablements described in detail above are considered novel over theprior art of record and are considered critical to the operation of theinstant invention and to the achievement of the above describedobjectives. The words used in this specification to describe theinvention and its various embodiments are to be understood not only inthe sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by specialdefinition in this specification: structure, material or acts beyond thescope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can beunderstood in the context of this specification as including more thanone meaning, then its use must be understood as being generic to allpossible meanings supported by the specification and by the word orwords describing the element.

The definitions of the words or elements of this described invention andits various embodiments are, therefore, defined in this specification toinclude not only the combination of elements which are literally setforth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performingsubstantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtainsubstantially the same result. In this sense it is thereforecontemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements maybe made for any one of the elements in the invention and its variousembodiments below or that a at least one element may be substituted fortwo or more elements in a claim.

Changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person withordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expresslycontemplated as being equivalents within the scope of the invention andits various embodiments. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or laterknown to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within thescope of the defined elements. The invention and its various embodimentsare thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustratedand described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can beobviously substituted, and also what essentially incorporates theessential idea of the invention.

While the invention has been described with reference to at least onepreferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled inthe art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope ofthe invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appendedclaims and it is made clear, here, that the inventor(s) believe that theclaimed subject matter is the invention.

1. A skateboard apparatus comprising: a platform having a forward end,an opposing rearward end, a top surface and an undersurface; theplatform engaged with a pair of wheel trucks, at least one means fordriving, and a power source; one of the wheel trucks providing a singlewheel positioned proximate the forward end of the platform establishinga front-wheel drive, and the other of the wheel trucks providing a pairof wheels positioned proximate the rearward end of the platform; the atleast one means for driving engaged mechanically with the single wheeland electrically with the electrical power source for driving the singlewheel in moving the apparatus on a support surface in a forwarddirection.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a framemounted to the platform, the frame supporting the pair of wheel trucks.3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a means for actuating,the actuating means positioned proximate the top surface andelectrically interconnected with the driving means and the power source,enabling power control to the driving means as actuated by a foot of arider.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a means foractuating, the actuating means positioned terminally on an electricalcable and electrically interconnected with the driving means and thepower source, enabling power control to the driving means as actuated bya hand of a rider.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the forward andrearward ends of the frame each provide a receiving means; the apparatusfurther comprising an extension piece removeably engagable with thereceiving means of the platform for extension thereof.
 6. The apparatusof claim 5 wherein the extension piece provides a fender brakepositioned forward relative to the platform and proximate the at leastone wheel.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the extension pieceprovides an upwardly extending T-bar positioned in a forward position onthe platform.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a handbrake with cable actuator enabled for switching power to, and brakingthe apparatus.
 9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the extension pieceprovides a wheely bar positioned rearwardly on the platform.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 5 wherein the extension piece provides at least oneof a headlight, a tail-light and a reflector, the frame enablingelectrical contact with at least one of the headlight and the taillight.11. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the extension piece provides afriction brake positioned rearwardly on the platform and selectivelymechanically engagable with the riding surface for frictional brakingwhen actuated by a foot of the rider.
 12. The apparatus of claim 2wherein the power source comprises a battery and further comprises abattery charging circuit engaged for recharging the battery.
 13. Theapparatus of claim 2 further comprising a manual brake positionedproximate the top surface at the forward end of the platform andmechanically engagable with the single wheel for frictional braking whenactuated by a foot of the rider.
 14. The apparatus of claim 2 furthercomprising a manual brake positioned proximate the top surface andrearwardly on the platform and mechanically engagable with the singlewheel for frictional braking when actuated by a foot of the rider. 15.The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a seat attachment mountableonto the top surface and extending upwardly therefrom.
 16. The apparatusof claim 2 wherein at least one of the wheel trucks provides a shockmounting comprising at least one means for shock absorbing.
 17. Theapparatus of claim 16 wherein the means for shock absorbing provides apivotal swing arm mounting means.
 18. The apparatus of claim 2 whereinthe means for driving is further engaged mechanically with the pair ofwheels, the driving means comprising individual motors engagedindividually with the single wheel and with the pair of wheels fordriving the apparatus on the support surface.
 19. A skateboard apparatuscomprising: a platform engaged with a frame, the frame engaged with apair of wheel trucks for supporting the apparatus on a support surface;a means for driving wheels of the trucks for moving the apparatus overthe support surface; and at least one of: a means for actuating thedriving means; a battery and battery charging circuit engaged forrecharging the battery, a manual brake positioned proximate the topsurface and mechanically engagable with at least one of the wheels forfrictional braking when actuated by a foot of the rider, a seatattachment mountable onto a top surface of the platform and extendingupwardly therefrom, a shock mounting comprising at least one means forshock absorbing; a receiving means for receiving an extension pieceremoveably engagable with the receiving means of the platform forextension thereof; the extension piece comprising at least one of: afender brake positioned forward of the platform and proximate the singlewheel; an upwardly extending T-bar positioned forward of the platform; ahand brake with cable actuator enabled for switching power to, andbraking the apparatus; a wheely bar positioned rearwardly on theplatform; one of a headlight, a tail-light and a reflector, the frameproviding electrical contact to at least one of the headlight and thetaillight; a friction brake positioned rearwardly on the platform andmechanically engagable with the riding surface for frictional brakingwhen actuated by a foot of the rider.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19wherein the means for driving is further engaged mechanically with thepair of wheels, the driving means comprising individual motors engagedindividually with the single wheel and with the pair of wheels fordriving the single wheel in moving the apparatus on the riding surfacein a forward direction.
 21. A skateboard apparatus comprising incombination: A. a skateboard assembly including a platform engaged witha frame, the frame engaged with a pair of wheel trucks for supportingthe apparatus on a support surface; a means for driving at least one ofthe wheels of the trucks for moving the apparatus over the supportsurface; and a means for actuating the driving means; a battery andbattery charging circuit engaged for recharging the battery, and amanual brake; and B. a set of skateboard accessories including: a. aseat attachment mountable onto the platform for extending upwardlytherefrom, b. a shock mounting comprising at least one means for shockabsorbing; c. an extension piece removeably engagable with a receivingmeans of the frame for extension thereof; the extension piece comprisingat least one of: a fender brake positioned forward of the platform andproximate the single wheel; an upwardly extending T-bar positionedforwardly on the platform; a hand brake with cable actuator enabled forswitching power to, and braking the apparatus; a wheely bar positionedrearwardly on the platform; one of a headlight, a tail-light and areflector, the frame providing electrical contact to at least one of theheadlight and the taillight; a friction brake positioned at the rearwardend of the platform and mechanically engagable with the riding surfacefor frictional braking when actuated by a foot of the rider.